posted Jan 20th, 2026 - Recent changes to the Paraclete XP8 lineup reunite Jennifer Davidson and Matt Davidson in formation skydiving training and competition. As reported by the NSL News on January 15th, SDC Rhythm XP’s Doug Barron and Matt Davidson have replaced Jill Stephenson and Ian Pedowitz in the active lineup.

The updated roster now features four former 8-way world champions—Jeana Billings, Jenn Davidson, Kirk Verner, and Matt Davidson—alongside five members who have yet to win an FAI world championship gold medal: Doug Barron, James Hall, Carl Kallgren, Brandon Kashani, and XP8 videographer Kevin Penn.

Jen and Matt Davidson have both trained and competed with U.S. Army teams for many years. However, they have appeared together in the same lineup at only one outdoor world championship, in Australia 2018.

Matt Davidson began his Golden Knights career as an alternate during the team’s final world championship victory in 1997, before Arizona Airspeed assumed dominance in U.S. 8-way competition. He earned a position on the active Golden Knights 8-way lineup in 1998, but it took another 14 years before he claimed his first world championship gold medal with the team in Dubai 2012. That victory marked the start of one of the most successful careers in 8-way history, eventually earning Matt Davidson a share of first place in the all-time 8-way medal count alongside Scott Rhodes and Craig Girard.

FAI World Meet 2018			1		2		3		4		5		6		7		8		9		10		Total	Avg
Rank	8-way Open		21,L,B,G		22,18,17		19,7,O		J,16,12		10,A,D,15		Q,M,F,C,N		H,20,P,13		6,14,11		E,2,5		4,1,3		Total	Avg
1	Golden Knights	US	24		21		18		24		19	-2	29		21		18	-1	17		33		224	22.4
2	Tanay	RU	21	-1	21		17		22	-1	20		28		16	-1	18		18		28	-1	209	20.9
3	Qatar Falcons	QA	19		16		15		18	-1	14	-1	21		16		14	-1	14		23	-1	170	17.0
4	MicroClim8	UK	17		15		12		14	-1	15		21		15		12	-2	13		18	-1	152	15.2
5	JYR8	AU	14	-1	14		13		17		11	-1	20		14		14		12		21		150	15.0
6	Airbus	DE	13		15		9	-2	15		11		16		12		12		10		16	-2	129	12.9
7	Brazil	BR	11		10		9		12		9		12		9		10		9		16		107	10.7

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Jennifer and Matt Davidson with Golden Knights in Australia 2018

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Meanwhile, Jen Davidson steadily worked her way up the Golden Knights ranks after beginning her skydiving career in 2008. The U.S. Army’s one and only 4-way Women team ultimately captured the outdoor world championship title at Skydive Chicago 2016. By that time, Jen and Matt Davidson had already been married for three years.

Golden Knights 8-way team captain Sean Sweeney took notice of the newly crowned 4-way Women world champion and selected Jen Davidson for the revamped 8-way lineup in 2017. The team went on to defend the U.S. 8-way world championship title at the FAI Outdoor World Championship in Australia 2018, making history in the process: Jen Davidson became the first female competitor in the U.S. Army Golden Knights’ 8-way team.

Neither Jen nor Matt Davidson continued with the Golden Knights beyond that period. Jen Davidson stepped away from competitive skydiving to pursue her career as a helicopter pilot, while Matt Davidson retired from the U.S. Army and underwent hip surgery. Matt later returned to top-level competition with Paraclete XP8, winning another 8-way world championship gold medal at Eloy 2022. He then moved into a share of first place in the all-time 8-way gold medal count (since 1985) at Crystal Coast 2024, alongside Scott Rhodes and Craig Girard. His current teammate Kirk Verner sits just one gold medal behind.

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FAI Outdoor World Championship Gold Medalists in 8-way since 1985

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Jen Davidson also returned to formation skydiving competition with a Paraclete lineup. XPG4 required a replacement when Anna Brunner did not continue after the 2023 season, and Jen Davidson stepped into the point slot, a position she knew well from her time on the Golden Knights 4-way Women team. XPG4 went on to win their own gold medals at Crystal Coast, where Matt Davidson simultaneously claimed gold in the 8-way event.

Jen Davidson had already served as an alternate for the XP8 world champions in 2024 and joined the active lineup for the 2025 season. The newly formed XP8 lineup won the USPA Nationals, earning the right to represent the United States as the national 8-way team at this year’s outdoor world championship.

A subsequent change to the XP8 lineup then brought Matt Davidson back as a defending 8-way world champion from 2022 and 2024, once again competing alongside his wife. The situation closely mirrors the period when Jen Davidson joined the Golden Knights 8-way team. Matt Davidson now has the opportunity to move into sole possession of first place in the all-time 8-way gold medal standings. His teammate Kirk Verner could only draw level with Scott Rhodes and Craig Girard by winning another title together. However, Kirk Verner currently leads Matt Davidson in the combined 4-way and 8-way rankings, and he remains the only active competitor who could tie Craig Girard for the top position among the most successful formation skydivers in history since 1985.

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FAI Outdoor World Championship Gold Medalists in 4-way and 8-way since 1985

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